'Baby Bird' Magical Song Stretches Wings With Cox

There may be many talented runners in Brad Cox's shedrow at Saratoga Race Course, but there's only one "Baby Bird."

Her official name is Magical Song , and she's the second foal out of dual champion Songbird , whose exploits included nine grade 1 wins, among them the 2016 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1) right here at The Spa. Songbird's first foal, a 3-year-old filly by Arrogate  named Song Gate, is unraced and has been retired due to injury.

A striking 2-year-old by Tapit  , Magical Song made her first appearance on the work tab July 30 with a three-furlong move in company in :38 flat on the Oklahoma training track. She joined Cox's string from breeder Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm.

"She just came in…about 10 days ago, two weeks ago from Mandy Pope… Todd Quast broke her and sent her up," Cox said. "She's a very intelligent filly… Good mover, good mind, good-looking filly that I think's meant to (go) two turns based off pedigree and physical. She's an exciting prospect."

Cox said Magical Song may not be ready to make her debut at Saratoga, but he will continue to build upon the foundation she received with Quast until she is set to run. 

"I'm not certain she'll make the meet here at Saratoga, we just got her in," he said. "We'll put the miles underneath of her. She's been to the gate a couple times and those have been positive experiences, so we're looking forward to continuing to work her and go from there."

Cox said Magical Song's first work for him gave positive vibes.

"She was well into the bridle, doing it the right way… I thought it was a very positive move and she was willing and wanted to do more. From a trainer standpoint, that's step one. Next week we'll graduate and do a little bit more, and hopefully she can answer the questions we're asking of her."

Pope purchased Songbird for $9.5 million in 2017 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale. The talented daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  , bred in Kentucky by John Antonelli out of the grade 2-winning West Acre mare Ivanavinalot, was a $400,000 purchase by the late Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency's consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 2014.

Songbird raced to 13 wins and two seconds from 15 starts, with earnings of $4,692,000, and was crowned champion 2-year-old filly in 2015 and champion 3-year-old filly in 2016. A win in the 2015 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland and a thrilling runner-up finish to four-time Eclipse Award-winner Beholder in the 2016 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park were among the career highlights her progeny have to live up to. She is currently boarded at Wayne and Cathy Sweezey's Timber Town Stable near Lexington, where she dropped a full sister to Magical Song in 2021 and foaled a Curlin   colt this year.

"There's a lot of expectation of (Magical Song), and that comes with the pedigree," Cox said. "She wouldn't have to accomplish near as much as her dam to be a successful racehorse. It's an exciting opportunity for us and I know Mandy's excited about her, she likes her. She talked about her before she sent her to us that she thought she was a top prospect for us, and she showed them a lot on the farm, so we'll see where she takes us over the next couple months."